Director column

IBC director's monthly column featured in Cattleman Magazine. Archives
	August 2025 In July, I was introduced as the in-coming Iowa Beef Center (IBC) Director. For this column, it was suggested that I share my vision for the position. I would like to start by thanking Denise Schwab for her leadership as the IBC Interim Director. It is always a challenge to add-on to an already full line-up of responsibilities, and she has done well. I have appreciated her guidance in these first couple weeks as I make the transition, and anticipate us working closely as she returns to her role as Field Specialist. As a brief introduction, my name is Aimee Lutz. I grew-up on a grain and livestock farm in central Illinois, and earned a BS in Agriculture from Illinois State University and a MS and PhD in Animal Science (Ruminant Nutrition) from the University of Illinois. My first position following graduate school was as a post-doctoral research associate in the Animal Science Department at Iowa State University. Following my post-doc, I had a teaching and research appointment in the Animal and Range Sciences Department at SDSU, and most recently I have worked in the feed industry as a ruminant nutritionist involved in research, technical support, and formulation services. First, I think it is important to keep a vision broad enough that it can evolve to the dynamic beef industry. Also, the Iowa beef industry is multi-faceted facing challenges at the producer end and the consumer end of the production chain. Challenges arise related to growth, reproduction, feed efficiency, animal health, and evolving markets, but also environmental issues, food safety and security, labor, and this list can go on. Having a vision that is too narrow may lessen the ability to adapt to an emerging issue. My experience in working with beef producers is that they are innovative, persistent, and resilient, and it is these characteristics that propel us forward to address the challenges that arise. My appointment has Extension, research, and teaching responsibilities. What interested me in this position was the ability to combine what I have learned in industry with the academic process. I have worn many hats as my career has unfolded. The diversity of skills I have gained along the way and being able to use them to bring value to cattle producers makes me excited. The buzz word "sustainable" gets tossed around a lot and usually is associated with environmental impact. From my perspective, sustainability needs to include fiscal sustainability, resource use and waste product sustainability, and generational sustainability. My vision is for research to address production-related issues and the efficient use input resources and management of output waste. The goal being to identify technology that results in a positive financial and environmental state for producers so that healthy operations exist for the next generation. Specific research areas I am interested in include in-utero and early life calf nutritional impacts on feedlot growth, efficiency, and health and capturing that value through the production segments. I am interested in genetic x nutrition programs for cattle being fed to heavier weights; where do optimum growth, efficiency, and carcass merit intersect to yield the greatest profitability? As a nutritionist by training, I naturally gravitate to nutrition research, but I am excited to work with ISU faculty in other disciplines to address challenges where they impact beef cattle production. With less than one month into my role as IBC Director, I am certain that this list of research ideas will evolve, and that is exciting. This position also has teaching and Extension components. From an Extension program standpoint, I would like to develop a series of short-courses for the experienced cattle feeder whether on-farm or working in the feed industry. While in the feed industry I worked with a number of these individuals with education backgrounds in ag-business, agronomy, or ag-economics but in their day-to-day activity had a significant role in animal nutrition and feeding. Depending on their degree program, they may or may not have had an animal nutrition course, or it may have been a number of years since their enrollment, or their role has evolved beyond their initial training. Feed cost accounts for over half of the cost of cattle production, providing opportunities for improved skills with feed management, feed efficiency, or survivability of cattle to impact cattle feeders bottom line as well as sustainability of the beef industry. These courses would be intended address feeding and nutrition of various segments of beef production, including fundamentals and emerging technology, and be designed to complement but not overlap with Feedlot Short-Course. In addition, it is important to train the next generation that will return to on-farm production or work in allied industries. Realizing that a large percentage of ISU Animal Science graduates work in an animal nutrition role in industry, ISU faculty have been discussing the development of an advanced formulations class that focuses on problem-solving skills and bringing industry-applicable skills to the classroom. I am excited to be part of these discussions. My plan for the remainder of this summer is to connect with the Extension Field Specialists, Iowa Beef Center staff, and ISU Extension leadership to gain a greater understanding of the role each plays and the value they bring to the beef industry in Iowa. My efforts will be directed to visiting different regions of the state to participate in on-going Iowa Beef Center programs, learn about out-lying research facilities, and to meet beef producers. I genuinely look forward to this coming year, exciting Extension, research, and teaching opportunities that are to come, and letting our innovative, persistent, and resilient nature lead us forward. The IBC at Iowa State University serves as the university’s extension program to cattle producers. Our center comprises a team of faculty and staff from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. We work together to develop and deliver the latest in research-based information to improve the profitability and vitality of Iowa’s beef industry. If you’d like to be notified of updates on progress of research projects or programs that might be coming to your area, please subscribe to our “Growing Beef” newsletter by following the link on our website, www.iowabeefcenter.org. If you have a question, use our “Ask our Experts” link. Also, feel free to call us at 515-294-BEEF or email us at beefcenter@iastate.edu. You can follow @iowabeefcenter on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

IBC director's monthly column featured in Cattleman Magazine. Archives

August 2025

In July, I was introduced as the in-coming Iowa Beef Center (IBC) Director. For this column, it was suggested that I share my vision for the position. I would like to start by thanking Denise Schwab for her leadership as the IBC Interim Director. It is always a challenge to add-on to an already full line-up of responsibilities, and she has done well. I have appreciated her guidance in these first couple weeks as I make the transition, and anticipate us working closely as she returns to her role as Field Specialist. As a brief introduction, my name is Aimee Lutz. I grew-up on a grain and livestock farm in central Illinois, and earned a BS in Agriculture from Illinois State University and a MS and PhD in Animal Science (Ruminant Nutrition) from the University of Illinois. My first position following graduate school was as a post-doctoral research associate in the Animal Science Department at Iowa State University. Following my post-doc, I had a teaching and research appointment in the Animal and Range Sciences Department at SDSU, and most recently I have worked in the feed industry as a ruminant nutritionist involved in research, technical support, and formulation services. First, I think it is important to keep a vision broad enough that it can evolve to the dynamic beef industry. Also, the Iowa beef industry is multi-faceted facing challenges at the producer end and the consumer end of the production chain. Challenges arise related to growth, reproduction, feed efficiency, animal health, and evolving markets, but also environmental issues, food safety and security, labor, and this list can go on. Having a vision that is too narrow may lessen the ability to adapt to an emerging issue. My experience in working with beef producers is that they are innovative, persistent, and resilient, and it is these characteristics that propel us forward to address the challenges that arise.

My appointment has Extension, research, and teaching responsibilities. What interested me in this position was the ability to combine what I have learned in industry with the academic process. I have worn many hats as my career has unfolded. The diversity of skills I have gained along the way and being able to use them to bring value to cattle producers makes me excited. The buzz word "sustainable" gets tossed around a lot and usually is associated with environmental impact. From my perspective, sustainability needs to include fiscal sustainability, resource use and waste product sustainability, and generational sustainability. My vision is for research to address production-related issues and the efficient use input resources and management of output waste. The goal being to identify technology that results in a positive financial and environmental state for producers so that healthy operations exist for the next generation. Specific research areas I am interested in include in-utero and early life calf nutritional impacts on feedlot growth, efficiency, and health and capturing that value through the production segments. I am interested in genetic x nutrition programs for cattle being fed to heavier weights; where do optimum growth, efficiency, and carcass merit intersect to yield the greatest profitability? As a nutritionist by training, I naturally gravitate to nutrition research, but I am excited to work with ISU faculty in other disciplines to address challenges where they impact beef cattle production. With less than one month into my role as IBC Director, I am certain that this list of research ideas will evolve, and that is exciting.

This position also has teaching and Extension components. From an Extension program standpoint, I would like to develop a series of short-courses for the experienced cattle feeder whether on-farm or working in the feed industry. While in the feed industry I worked with a number of these individuals with education backgrounds in ag-business, agronomy, or ag-economics but in their day-to-day activity had a significant role in animal nutrition and feeding. Depending on their degree program, they may or may not have had an animal nutrition course, or it may have been a number of years since their enrollment, or their role has evolved beyond their initial training. Feed cost accounts for over half of the cost of cattle production, providing opportunities for improved skills with feed management, feed efficiency, or survivability of cattle to impact cattle feeders bottom line as well as sustainability of the beef industry. These courses would be intended address feeding and nutrition of various segments of beef production, including fundamentals and emerging technology, and be designed to complement but not overlap with Feedlot Short-Course. In addition, it is important to train the next generation that will return to on-farm production or work in allied industries. Realizing that a large percentage of ISU Animal Science graduates work in an animal nutrition role in industry, ISU faculty have been discussing the development of an advanced formulations class that focuses on problem-solving skills and bringing industry-applicable skills to the classroom. I am excited to be part of these discussions.

My plan for the remainder of this summer is to connect with the Extension Field Specialists, Iowa Beef Center staff, and ISU Extension leadership to gain a greater understanding of the role each plays and the value they bring to the beef industry in Iowa. My efforts will be directed to visiting different regions of the state to participate in on-going Iowa Beef Center programs, learn about out-lying research facilities, and to meet beef producers. I genuinely look forward to this coming year, exciting Extension, research, and teaching opportunities that are to come, and letting our innovative, persistent, and resilient nature lead us forward.

The IBC at Iowa State University serves as the university’s extension program to cattle producers. Our center comprises a team of faculty and staff from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. We work together to develop and deliver the latest in research-based information to improve the profitability and vitality of Iowa’s beef industry. If you’d like to be notified of updates on progress of research projects or programs that might be coming to your area, please subscribe to our “Growing Beef” newsletter by following the link on our website, www.iowabeefcenter.org. If you have a question, use our “Ask our Experts” link. Also, feel free to call us at 515-294-BEEF or email us at beefcenter@iastate.edu. You can follow @iowabeefcenter on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.